Warm nooks

04/17/2026

09/10/2024

Celebrating the sweetness of strawberries with this easy-to-make Strawberry Delight! 🍰🍓 A layered dessert that's as beautiful as it is delicious.

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (and some extra crumbs for garnish if desired)
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp almond extract
5 tbsp butter, melted
10 strawberries, sliced (or enough to make a single layer over the graham crackers)
1 cup cold whipping cream, chilled
2 blocks (8 oz each) of cream cheese, softened
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 box (3.4 oz) Strawberry gelatin (will use 3 Tablespoons from this box)
1 container (8 oz) Cool Whip

Directions:

Prepare the Crust: In a medium bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, almond extract, and melted butter. Press the mixture into an 8x8 dish and flatten with the bottom of a glass. Freeze for 30 minutes.
Add Strawberries: Layer the sliced strawberries evenly over the frozen crust and refrigerate while preparing the remaining layers.
Cream Cheese Layer: In a large mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Set aside.
Whip Cream: In a chilled medium mixing bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
Combine: Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture with a rubber spatula. Spoon half of this mixture over the strawberries in the dish. Reserve the other half.
Strawberry Cheesecake Layer: Add 3 tablespoons of dry strawberry gelatin to the remaining cream cheese mixture. Fold until combined and solid in color. Spoon over the previous layer.
Top with Cool Whip: Spread Cool Whip over the top as the final layer.
Chill: Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. For firmer slices, freeze for 30 minutes prior to serving.
Garnish: Optionally, garnish with additional sliced strawberries and graham cracker crumbs.

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Chill Time: 2 hours | Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 9 servings | Kcal: 382 kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g

09/10/2024

Indulge in the sweet and tangy delight of Maraschino Cherry Cookies, dotted with white chocolate chips for that extra yum! Perfect for any occasion. 🍒🍪

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk flour, salt, and baking soda. Gradually blend into the creamed mixture to form a dough.
Fold in maraschino cherries and white chocolate chips.
Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 10-12 minutes | Total Time: 25-27 minutes | Kcal: 150kcal per serving

09/10/2024

Whipping up a batch of Pennsylvania Dutch Bridled Noodles tonight!

ingredients

1 package wide egg noodles (16 oz)
1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs
1 3/4 sticks butter, divided
1 1/2 tsp onion or garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chicken or turkey gravy, canned or homemade

instructions

Preparation of Noodles: Boil the wide egg noodles according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain but do not rinse to maintain their starchiness.
Adding Butter: While the noodles are still hot, stir in 3/4 stick of melted butter until evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Breadcrumb Mixture: Melt the remaining stick of butter and mix it with the Italian bread crumbs and onion or garlic powder, ensuring the crumbs are thoroughly coated for maximum flavor.
Layering: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. In a 3-quart casserole dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, layer one-third of the buttered noodles, followed by one-third of the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat this process until all ingredients are used, ending with a breadcrumb layer on top.
Baking: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the dish is heated through and the flavors have melded together. For a crispy finish, remove the foil and broil for the last 3-4 minutes.
Serving: Serve the Bridled Noodles warm, with gravy on the side or drizzled on top, according to preference.

09/10/2024

Warm up with this delicious Chicken Taco Soup! Packed with black beans, corn, and shredded chicken, it's like your favorite taco in soup form. 🍲❤️

ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
2 (10 ounce) cans Ro-tel diced tomatoes & green chilies, with juices
1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 (12 ounce) can corn, drained
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
8 ounces cream cheese (I used Philly), softened
2 cups cooked/rotisserie chicken, shredded
Salt & pepper, to taste
Optional toppings: shredded Mexican cheese blend, avocado, cilantro, tortilla strips

instructions

In a soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes.
Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes & green chilies, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently (uncovered) for 5 minutes.
Cut cream cheese into smaller pieces and add to the soup, stirring until fully incorporated.
Stir in shredded chicken and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until warmed through.
Season with salt & pepper. Serve with optional toppings as desired.

09/10/2024

Gather around the table for a heartwarming Beef and Mushroom Noodle Bake. It's the comfort food your family craves! 🍲👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

INGREDIENTS

1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 cups sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (10.75 oz) cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups cooked egg noodles
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic; drain excess fat.
Add mushrooms to the skillet and cook until tender.
Stir in the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
Fold in the cooked egg noodles.
Transfer the mixture to a greased casserole dish.
Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.
Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

09/10/2024

Zesty Lemon Glazed Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon zest
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Lemon Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 dash salt
1 Tbsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1-2 Tbsp milk, if needed

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Beat in eggs, lemon juice, and lemon zest until well combined.
Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt.
Roll dough into tablespoon-sized balls and place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar.
Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until barely light brown on the bottom. Let sit for 3-4 minutes on the pan, then remove to cooling racks.
Cool cookies completely, then frost. For the frosting, beat together butter, powdered sugar, salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice until creamy, adding milk if needed for desired consistency.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes
Kcal: 198 kcal | Servings: Makes about 24 cookies

09/10/2024

Strawberry Jello Lasagna
Summer Bliss Strawberry Jello Lasagna

Ingredients:
Crust and topping:
48 Golden Oreo cookies-ground whole with the filling
½ cup unsalted butter-melted
1 oz. freeze dried strawberries- coarsely crushed
Strawberry Jello Filling:
32 oz. fresh strawberry-sliced
1 (3 oz.) pack strawberry flavored gelatin (like Jell-O)
Whipped Cream:
3 cups heavy whipping cream
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream Cheese Filling:
12 oz. cream cheese-room temperature
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter-room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
First, make the strawberry filling. In a large saucepan, place sliced strawberries, sprinkle with dry strawberry Jello powder and stir gently with a rubber spatula to evenly coat the berries. Heat over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring gently with the spatula. Heat just until the gelatin completely dissolves in strawberry juice (do not cook them too long or the strawberry will become mushy). Set aside to cool.
To make the crust, place whole Oreo cookies with the filling in a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Stir in melted butter, until all crumbs are evenly moistened. Reserve ¼ of the mixture for topping, and the remaining mixture press in the bottom of the 9 x 13 inches dish. Place in the fridge or freezer.
To make the filling, first, mix cold heavy whipping cream with 1 teaspoon vanilla until soft peaks form. Add ¾ cup powdered sugar and continue mixing, until stiff peaks form. Set aside. You should get about 6-6 ½ cups of whipped cream. You can substitute whipped cream with refrigerated Cool Whip if desired.
In a large bowl, cream softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. Mix in powdered sugar. Finally, fold in prepared whipped cream.
Spread ½ of the cream cheese-whipped cream mixture over Oreo crust. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Spoon strawberry filling over the cream cheese layer, smooth the top, and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes (until the Jello has set).
Spread remaining cream cheese filling over the strawberry layer. Smooth the top and refrigerate for 4 hours or preferably overnight.
To make the strawberry crunch topping, stir reserved Oreo crumbs with coarsely crushed freeze-dried strawberries and sprinkle on top.
Serve cold from the fridge. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5-6 days.
Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cooking Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 4 hours (including setting time)
Kcal: 350 kcal | Servings: 12 servings